Uninsured Rate in New Jersey continues to Drop under Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention announced that in 2015, the uninsured rate fell to 9.1 percent nationwide and 6.9 percent in New Jersey, down from 14.4 percent and 17.5 percent in 2013. The drop in uninsured Americans is largely the result of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) consumer protections, the Medicaid expansion, and the creation of the Health Insurance Marketplace. Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and one of the principal authors of the Affordable Care Act, praised the announcement.

“It is clear that millions of Americans have gained access to health insurance since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act and this is a tremendous step for our country. The ACA ushered in a new era, one in which health care coverage is no longer a privilege, but a right for all Americans,” said Pallone. “Millions of Americans who had gone without health insurance—middle class families who had struggled due to inadequate coverage, and women, children and young adults that had been denied coverage due to preexisting conditions—gained the security that comes from being covered.”

“The success of the ACA should deter Republicans from attacking this crucial law. House Republicans have voted dozens of times to repeal or undermine the ACA and take these critical benefits away from millions of Americans, despite the evidence. Enough is enough. The status quo is simply unsustainable. I will continue to fight for the Affordable Care Act to ensure that every American has access to affordable, quality health insurance, and I look forward to the ACA continuing to benefit millions of Americans in the years ahead.”